Writing Workshops

The Writing Center offers a number of workshops each semester on topics including grammar and punctuation, revision and editing, incorporating source material, and more.

For dates and times of workshops happening this semester, visit the campus calendar.

Workshop Descriptions

Responding to Academic Texts

Tuesday, February 20 | 12:30 - 1:15 p.m. | Basil 200

Reading is an active exercise. Academic reading, in particular, requires dynamic engagement with texts. In this workshop, we will focus on drawing on prior knowledge and experience to facilitate comprehension, identifying the purpose for reading particular texts, and exploring a few strategies that can enhance understanding. This workshop will be most helpful if you bring an article that you are using in one of your classes; alternatively, one will be provided.

Offered by the Writing Center

Summarizing and Annotating Scholarship

Thursday, February 22 | 5 - 5:45 p.m. | Basil 200

This workshop will guide you through summarizing, annotating, and comprehending scholarly sources so that you can successfully incorporate them into your papers. RW 199 students are especially encouraged to attend this workshop.

Offered by the Writing Center

Choosing Scholarly Sources

Thursday, March 1 | 12:30 - 1:15 p.m. | Library 100

All information is not created equal. During the publishing cycle, scholarly information goes through intense scrutiny. Understanding the ins and outs of scholarly publishing allows the researcher to select appropriate material that is peer reviewed, or refereed. In this workshop, you'll learn what constitutes scholarliness and how to find scholarly sources.

Offered by Lavery Library

Cite This!

Tuesday, March 13 | 12:30 - 1:15 p.m. | Library 100

This workshop is based on the principles of plagiarism in relation to academic honesty and intellectual property. Who owns it, and can I use it? Students will come to understand these principles by participating in a fun activity, creating a piece of intellectual property, and ultimately creating a citation for it!

Offered by Lavery Library

Writing a Literature Review: Graduate Student Workshop

Thursday, March 15 | 5 - 5:45 p.m. | Basil 200

Whether they are part of a research paper or a dissertation, literature reviews help to explain and synthesize important texts for the writing project, allow the writer to get a broader picture of the sources, and provide readers with a context for the research. From getting oriented to completing this portion of the research project, this workshop will walk you through the process of writing a literature review while highlighting key features along the way. (Undergraduate students are also welcome.)

Offered by the Writing Center

Citation Generators: How to Use Them Well (Since You're Using Them Anyway)

Tuesday, March 20 | 12:30 - 1:15 p.m. | Library 100

We like to take shortcuts. But did you know that using automatic citations, like those from BibMe or EasyBib, can come back to haunt you? This session will explore common problems with citation generators, techniques to see and fix those errors, and ways to manage your larger research projects with online tools.

Offered by Lavery Library

Incorporating Sources the MLA Way

Tuesday, April 3 | 12:30 - 1:15 p.m. | Basil 200

This workshop will cover techniques for introducing and blending source material into your MLA-style papers. It will also address strategies for the prevention of inadvertent plagiarism.

Offered by the Writing Center

Thinking Critically About Social Media

Thursday, April 5 | 5 - 5:45 p.m. | Basil 200

Did you see that article or video posted on your friend's social media website? How do you know if you should believe it? Should you share it with others? Come learn some useful skills for thinking critically about the many messages you encounter daily. In this workshop, we'll discuss helpful ways to approach and examine articles, videos, and graphics making their way around social-networking sites. With fake news on the rise, you can be better prepared to stop the spread of misinformation.

Offered by the Writing Center

Coping with Grammar

Tuesday, April 10 | 12:30 - 1:15 p.m. | Basil 200

Confused by commas? Wracking your brains over run-ons? Fatigued by fragments? This workshop is designed to take the mystery out of some of the most common sentence-level errors that writers make. Participants in this workshop are encouraged to bring examples of their own work; however, sample sentences will be provided.

Offered by the Writing Center

Revision and Editing

Thursday, April 12 | 5 - 5:45 p.m. | Basil 200

Few writers get it right the first time. Writing is thinking, and that means that as we write, our ideas develop and sometimes change entirely. Revision means adding, removing, and rearranging paragraphs and ideas, whereas editing involves relatively minor changes. In this workshop we will discuss and practice strategies for both.

Offered by the Writing Center

Study Skills for the Final Stretch

Tuesday, April 24 | 12:30 - 1:15 p.m. | Basil 200

Overwhelmed by the end of the semester rush to the finish line? This workshop will help you plan your work and work your plan. Participants will learn ways to make the most of time available, develop strategies to calm and focus the mind, and increase memory by taking notes while studying.